


The Love Files

by burdened_with_glorious_cheekbones



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Awkward Jane, Awkward Romance, F/M, Fluff, London, Modern, Reality TV, Rom-comesque, Romance, Sexual Tension, Thor-AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-26
Updated: 2014-04-03
Packaged: 2018-01-17 02:26:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1370464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burdened_with_glorious_cheekbones/pseuds/burdened_with_glorious_cheekbones
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane Foster is married to her work, with no social or love life to speak of.  But one drunken night with her best friend and intern Darcy Lewis could change that forever...<br/>It's time for her to pack the high heels, the make-up kits and the scandalous dresses and get ready for some romance.<br/>If the nine other women will allow it of course.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys. So a new, very AU fic. To be perfectly honest, I don't even know what this is... but I'm having so much fun with it that I don't even care. Be prepared for some awkward encounters, some fluffy light-hearted romance and a whole lot of fun with this one! Thanks for reading darlings, I hope you enjoy.

Even Jane Foster could not blame the woman for her contemptuous looks, though this did not stop them from irritating her. It was mid-morning, Sunday and she had been enjoying the grey, dismal weather wrapped up in her comfiest rags and poring over her beloved star charts before this imposter had sent two sharp knocks ringing through her empty lab. Jane had been slow to move from her work but eventually further furious knocking had her up on her feet and gawping at the guest across the threshold. Or guests more like.

A camera crew. An entire camera crew, men in caps and stained t-shirts, more interested in protecting their equipment from the blustering wind around them then listening to the impatient demands of the woman who stood directly in front of them. She was well-dressed and elegant, a lot taller than Jane (which really wasn’t all that uncommon), with a thin frowning mouth and impatient eyes.   
“Jane Foster, I presume.” She greeted, throwing out a hand assertively for Jane to take. She glanced derisively over Jane’s small form, making her feel ratty and unkempt. To be honest she was looking a little worse for wear that morning, not having expected any company.   
“Um… I’m sorry have we met?”   
The woman, who was really beginning to get on her nerves now, rolled her eyes in a ‘long-suffering’ sort of way.  
“There’s always one,” she addressed the men around her, “Honestly darling, didn’t you read the fine print? It explained everything most thoroughly, I have been assured that everyone was sent their allotted email.”  
Jane blinked uncomprehendingly. Silence descended.

“I’m sorry,” she finally cleared her throat, “I’m being rude, come in.”  
The strangers tramped into her lab and made themselves comfortable on various surfaces.  
“If you’d just excuse me… for a moment, I just have to check something.”  
In other circumstances Jane may have questioned the sanity behind her decision to leave a bunch of strangers unattended in her precious lab but she could not think straight, the only thing she needed at that moment was to check her emails and finally understand who this woman was and why on earth she had come barging into her blessed solitude. Her laptop was quick to load and she quickly opened a browser, searching through her emails for one that might make sense in this situation.

And then she found one. Oh, how she wished she hadn’t.

-

“Darcy?” Jane’s voice left her in a harsh, desperate squeak, “Darcy? Oh my god, Darcy! What am I going to do?”  
“Wait what? Slow down, Jane, you’re freaking me out. What the hell is happening?”  
Jane took deep calming breaths. “I don’t know. I honestly don’t know what’s happening. You have to help me, okay, Darcy. Please.”  
“What’s wrong?”  
“Do you remember what we did the other night?”  
“Wha-“  
“The other night!” Jane cut across, verging on hysteria, “The other night. Do you remember, you said I had no social life and we went out clubbing and I don’t even know, Darcy… What did we do?”  
“Holy crap Jane, calm down. Anyone would think you were allergic to fun. We didn’t do anything, nothing I can remember at least, we got smashed, danced a little, lived a little. There’s nothing wrong with that!”  
“Then why is there a camera crew in my lab waiting to film an interview for their brand new series, The Love Files?”

 

 

“Wait, what!”


	2. The Dreaded Letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a teaser for you all...

Dear Miss Jane Foster,  
We are pleased to inform you that we have accepted your application to be a part of our new series ‘The Love Files.’   
This email has been sent to inform you of the next steps. First and foremost, if you no longer wish to be a part of this program you must send back an email informing us of this before April 12. April 12 is the deadline for this email due to scheduling.  
If you do decide to proceed you will be visited by our producer Rebecca Greenwood on April 13 to film a brief initial introduction. Do not be alarmed by this, everything will be explained to you in great detail by the crew and Ms. Greenwood. If you have any issues with this date please inform us via this email address, we will attempt to resolve any and all problems for you.   
Further dates will be given to you via email of by Ms. Greenwood herself but we do ask that you please be aware, our filming dates are scheduled through the months of April and May, and it is possible that filming may extend further then this estimated deadline, it is your responsibility to organise yourself around these times. It is estimated that you and the other contestants will be meeting Mr. Thor Odinson briefly after your initial introductions are filmed, he is very much looking forward to meeting all of his potential life companions, as are all the crew.  
Very much looking forward to working with you,  
Sincerely,  
Mr. Bryce Collier  
(CEO of --------- Broadcasting Network).


	3. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Travel and chatter. Jane meets some her competition and the first elimination takes place.

“Hi, I’m Jane Foster and I’m an astrophysicist with three degrees.” Jane smiled nervously at the camera that stood glaringly in front of her. Before she could continue embarrassing herself further Ms. Rebecca Greenwood, who stood stiff and intimidating beside the bulky device signalled a stop.

“Sorry,” Jane stuttered, “I don’t really know what to say about myself.”

“That’s fine Jane,” Rebecca smoothed the non-existent wrinkles from her tight black skirt, “As we explained it’s only a brief introduction so tell us about your job, yes, but also some of your likes and dislikes. We need some of your personality to come shining off that screen, right now you’re falling flat.”

“But, I’ve hardly said anything!” Jane could not stop herself from protesting. One of the sound crew gave her an encouraging thumbs up behind Rebecca’s back and smiled reassuringly. 

“Well, just don’t mention the three degrees. Nobody likes a show off. Let’s try it again shall we.”

Rebecca began the silent countdown once more and the camera began rolling. 

-.-

 

After many long moments of terrifying silence Darcy began to snicker through the phone.   
“Oh my God! That is priceless!” she finally breathed out through uncontrollable giggles.

‘Darcy! Please, this is not funny! You have to help me!’

“What the hell am I supposed to do about it?”

“I don’t know, do something!”

“Oh, come on, Jane. Just suck it up and go. I doubt you’d make it past the first elimination anyway.”

“Excuse me?”

-.-

Jane smoothed out the new frock she had changed into (pale blue, knee length, with a white peter pan style collar) and tried once more to impress the brick of a woman in front of her. She eyed down the camera determinedly and flashed her brightest smile.

“Hi, I’m Jane Foster. I’m thirty-three and an astrophysicist who spends more time gazing at the stars then spending time with actual people. I’ve pretty much been married to my work my entire life, because it’s something I’m so passionate about but I’ve decided it’s about time I tried to be passionate about something else. I think that is what this show can bring me.”

Rebecca gave her the thumbs up from her perch behind the camera and Jane breathed a sigh of relief. She had never felt so ridiculous in her life but she had always been stubbornly determined to a fault and there was definitely no chance of her backing out now.

-.-

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. In fact I bet you one hundred bucks you won’t make it past the first elimination. I’ll give you two hundred if you can actually win.” The snort of laughter that followed this sentence irritated Jane to no end and she desperately wanted to reach through the phone and punch her friend, smack in the jaw.

She wouldn’t have even been in this stupid situation if it wasn’t for Darcy, but the money was tempting. So was the infinite joy she could imagine feeling after proving Darcy wrong. 

“Fine. You’re on. Let’s see who’s laughing by the end of this thing.”

“Love it when you get feisty Jane.”

“Shut up.”

-.-

The rest of the day was spent in Jane’s apartment, filming seemingly pointless footage of Jane, gazing at star charts; tapping at her computer; nose buried in a heavy tome. Rebecca explained that this footage would be interspersed with her introduction to attract viewer interest, all it really did was make Jane feel uncomfortable. 

Finally, as the last crew member trampled out of her lab, and she was left once more with her beloved solitude Jane slumped exhausted into the seat next to her computer. She regretted having to leave this bulky object behind, she hated that she would be leaving this lab, her work, the stars of Puente Antigua, all for some stupid bet with Darcy. It was only a few months though and maybe, the idea was almost laughably ridiculous, but maybe, possibly this Thor Odinson would turn out to be her perfect man.

-.-

The dreaded call had come a week earlier and suddenly she had found herself, bags packed at the threshold of her trailer door. There had been a mind-numbingly long car trip, then an equally mind-numbing plane journey and she had touched down in California. Another car trip and she was deposited at a hotel where she was met by twelve other flustered females.

They crowded the lobby of the hotel, shoulders shrouded in gauzy material that trailed down to whisper against the skin of their thighs as they moved about the room. Jane, in drab jeans and a t-shirt had never felt so out of place. One particularly glamorous woman noticed her approach and rushed forward to greet her.

“You must be Jane Foster,” she greeted, her voice bright and airy, “I’m Clara Bright and I’ll be hosting the show. You’re the last one of the bunch here darling and it is so good to meet you. Now I want you to know…”

Clara cut herself off midway through this spiel to clasp one of Jane’s hands between her own. She gazed solemnly into Jane’s eyes.

“I am always here for all of you girls. I’m not just the host of this show, I’m a confidante and ally and a friend.”  
Jane nodded along uncomprehendingly.  
Clara’s dainty features lit up as she broke into a bright grin, “Well, then, there’s an outfit waiting for you upstairs, go get washed and changed and you’ll be able to have a quick chat with the other contestants before we start filming.”

“We’re starting tonight,” Jane asked, confusion writ upon her features.

“Well, of course! There’s nothing to worry about dear, you’ll be meeting Thor tomorrow, we just need to take care of some filming beforehand.”

Jane nodded, throat suddenly less constricted and followed one of the hotel’s ushers to her room. The dress was another blue number, darker this time, with a spiralling lace pattern around its hem. Compared to the glamorous beauties surrounding her in the lobby Jane felt every bit as plain as her name would suggest. A short insignificant pigmy amongst the vibrant, colourful brilliance of a flock of peacocks. It didn’t help that the heels did very little to help her height. 

After a few moments of floating awkwardly around the space she found herself seated on a cream coloured chair to the side of the room, next to a vividly-green potted plant and a young woman wearing an equally vivid gown. She shifted in her seat, fiddling with a strand of her plain brown hair as she observed with unquenchable jealousy the perfectly curled, blonde locks that fell gracefully down this woman’s back. Perhaps, she should never have taken Darcy up on that bet of hers. She’d be one hundred dollars poorer for sure after this. The woman turned to her with a bright smile.

“Hi, I’m Idunn. It’s lovely to meet you.”

Her voice was like music.

“Yeah, um, you too.” Jane shifted awkwardly once more, “I’m Jane.”

“Lovely name. It suits you well.”

Jane couldn’t help but notice the slight curling of the pretty woman’s petal lips and the echo of the words plain Jane throbbed in her head. The smile she had plastered onto her face was beginning to feel more like a grimace.

“As does yours. Idunn, was it? Quite unusual.”

Idunn’s laughter was like music as well.

“Quite.” She agreed and their conversation ended as soon as it had begun.

Jane listened to the sparkling chatter of the other females in the room as she waited impatiently for whatever filming they were going to have to participate in that evening. 

The sharp clearing of a throat had Jane rising from her seat to face Rebecca Greenwood at the front of the room. The camera, sound and lighting crew, who had been working around the pampered females for a considerable amount of time now had squeezed into the space, leaving the lobby considerably more cramped then it had been previously. 

“Ladies,” Rebecca began as the excited chatter around her faded, “I’m sure you all remember me from my last visits to you all but right now is when this show really begins. Now I need you all standing in a row for me in the centre of the lobby. Quickly please.”

There was a mad scramble as they all formed an orderly row, excitement and nerves making them fidgety and flushed. Ms. Greenwood observed their positions with a sour turn to her thin lips.   
“Freya, if you would be so kind as to stand between Idunn and Amy that would be most helpful.”

A golden haired beauty, hesitantly moved to stand between Idunn and a considerably shorter, fey-like red-head. 

“Jane and Mila should be in the centre I think. They’re the smallest so it would look strange to have them anywhere else.”

Jane quietly moved to the centre, meeting the eyes of Mila and smiling encouragingly. This smile was returned accordingly.

Rebecca’s face split into a triumphant smile, “Perfect.”

Clara took her place in front of the girls and the filming began.

-.-

Jane, for all her common sense, for some reason had not expected it to be like this. It took forever. Clara repeated the same spiel, over and over, there was already to be a shock elimination of two of the girls, Mr Odinson had seen the introduction videos and chosen from this blah, blah, blah, blah. There were long pauses in which the camera crew took close-ups of shocked faces, in which some of the girls tried their very best to turn on water works. Rebecca repeatedly told them to look more surprised, even as the ability to be believably shocked dwindled further out of reach with every new take. Jane couldn’t help but be glad. Surely she would be knocked out first round, she had compared herself to the other girls and found herself to be utterly lacking, surely this terrible hours’ worth of filming would be her last.

In the end it was Louisa and Nadia who were told to leave. They stayed at the hotel overnight and could no doubt be found, when the filming had finished and the last of the tissues had been swiped at fake tears, at the hotel bar drinking to themselves and marvelling at how unfair the world was. 

Jane didn’t know them. All she knew was that she wished she was one of them.

Well she did at least. Until the next night came and she was staring into the ocean blue eyes of Thor Odinson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We meet Thor properly next chapter and more of the lovely ladies too. But I know who you're all really waiting for... don't you worry Loki will be here soon. While I remember actually I just wanted to briefly mention, Loki will probably be a little bit different from what we know and love. Not completely, obviously, otherwise the whole idea of fan fiction would be pointless. He is still bitter and jealous of Thor, his jaded, a bit arrogant, sharply intelligent, witty and of course mischievous, with that whole bad-boy charm but its down-scaled slightly because obviously he's circumstances are different. He's still going to be the villain we all know and love but the whole, megalomaniac, kill all the things! attitude is just not going to work in this AU. So hopefully you'll still love him anyway! That's all from me. Peace out. See you next chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> A very short start I know but don't worry there shall be more coming soon! :)


End file.
